Andy Ruiz Jr makes his long-awaited return to the ring on September 4.
Just over two years to the day of his last outing, the former unified heavyweight champion locks horns with towering 6ft 7in Polish pugilist Damian Knyba at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, live on DAZN.
It marks his first fight under the Matchroom Boxing banner after officially signing with Eddie Hearn’s promotion on Wednesday.
Ruiz: I’ll become two-time champion in 2026
Ruiz Jr (35-2-1) famously knocked out Anthony Joshua in June 2019 to snatch the unified WBA, IBF and WBO heavyweight titles from his British rival in one of the biggest upsets of the decade.
He lost the rematch six months later and has only fought three times over the last six and a half years.
Ruiz Jr recorded back-to-back points wins over Chris Arreola and Luis Ortiz in 2021 and 2022, before holding Jarrell Miller to a controversial draw last time out in August 2024.
The 36-year-old suffered a serious hand injury during the bout, which required surgery.
After a lengthy stint on the sidelines resting and recuperating, Ruiz Jr reunited with long-time coach Manny Robles to prepare for his comeback.
“After we get this victory, I would love to fight all the guys that have the belts,” the 36-year-old said.
“We’re going to become a two-time champion next year.”
Knyba, meanwhile (17-1), is coming fresh off the first defeat of his career against Agit Kabayel in January.
He had been booked to face Kacper Meyna in a Republic of Poland heavyweight title fight on October 3.
2
However, that contest is no longer going ahead, with Piotr Lacz expected to take Knyba’s place.
Outside of his third-round stoppage loss to Kabayel, Knyba has built his record against battle-hardened gatekeepers such as Michael Polite-Coffie, Joey Dawejko and Richard Lartey.
Victory over Ruiz Jr would completely change the course of ‘The Polish Hussar’s’ career, and open the door to bigger and better fights.
This is a developing story and is being updated.
For the latest updates, breaking news alerts, and comprehensive analysis, refresh this page or follow our real-time news coverage by watching and listening to talkSPORT live.
For broader context, explore related coverage on our homepage for the top trending stories. For the latest talkSPORT videos, download the app.
talkSPORT cares about getting it right, not just getting it first and because this is a developing situation, details will change. We will be updating this page constantly with verified info, expert takes, and official statements.
Stay tuned for further developments as this story continues to break.
Watch Boxing on DAZN
*If you click a link in this boxout, we will earn affiliate revenue
Sign up to DAZN to access the definitive subscription for boxing fans.
Upgrade to DAZN Ultimate from just £24.99/month, guaranteeing access to 185+ fights annually, a minimum of 12 pay-per-views at no extra cost, as well as every Lega Serie A match and other elite football access.
Alternatively, DAZN Standard is just £15.99/month, with the caveat you will have to pay for pay-per-view events.
